Missouri doesn't often get much snow but when they do everything closes. Being from western New York and Wyoming and having lived in northern Japan (this was in our back yard), I laugh at snow and maybe a little bit at Missourians. So when everyone is staying home because there's three inches on the ground and the lovely snow flakes are still falling, my friend and I (who is from Minnesota) head out to Independence for yarn shopping.

We nearly died twice but Yarn Mercantile is so worth it. It's a large unassuming brick building a few streets off the beaten path. Because it's in this industrial neighborhood and all of the snow it felt like we were lost. It's actually made up of two stores, Angelika's Yarn Store and Knitcraft's.

The stores boundaries are market in green tape so you know which store to take your merchandise too. Surprisingly, I ended up splitting my fat stack of cash evenly between the two. Customer service was super friendly and knowledgeable. We got shown the latest merchandise, coffee, knitting needle suggestions. I could not stop stroking these 100% silk lace weight skeins that were to dye for (teehee). But in the end I couldn't take one home because I just have no idea what I would do with it. I'm sticking to my sock obsession.

Angelika and I standing in front of the green tape that marks the stores boundaries.

The two products that I'm super excited about are Frolicking Feet by Done Roving Yarns and Knitters Pride Nova Cubics knitting needles. I'm using both of them to start my new project. Look at that yarn! It's so soft and so bright! It'll probably leave color spots on my eyes. Can you believe that colorway? It reminds me of a parrot from Rio. I've been watching too many Disney movies lately. The yarn is also completely hand made in the USA. One way to stay local and represent!

The needles though are the real wonder. They are square. You heard me, square. They won't roll off the table! They are actually supposed to be more carpel tunnel friendly then round DPNs because you use less force to hold the square ones than the round ones. I looked at some cubics in bamboo but I didn't trust myself not to snap them. Or at the very least bend them, which would just be irritating.

The Haul

Next sock project

New thing learned: There is yarn made out of the undercoats of muskox called qiviut. It is warmer and lighter than pretty much anything else and also will cost you a pretty penny. But I'm willing to give my money to the one crazy enough to collect the hair of a muskox. It's one of my goals to try it some day.

Reading: The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook. The Mediterranean Country Style Bread will change your life. You make it over three days reducing all the dreaded effort of an all day rising and kneading spree. I haven't been able to mess it up. All my loaves have been edible. The second try was the best. So much fresh bread I'm thinking of making all our bread from now on.

Applied To: I applied to the Art Farm for a residency! It has been my dream to go out there an do art for years. Plus I might be able to visit all my friends in NE. It's a long shot but one can always dream right?